Divine Mercy: What is it? How to pray it? (plus a FREE ebook)

“Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy.”

The message of Divine Mercy began with a Polish nun in 1931 but it is ever more relevant in our world today. It’s a message with power and promise.

Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska began receiving visits from our Lord Jesus in 1931 with specific instructions and messages. The visions continued through 1938, which included not only warnings about hell but also instructions to paint a specific portrait.

Who is Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska? She was a young nun in Poland in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. St. Faustina did not come from a rich family, but rather it was just the opposite. She came from a poor family and had only three years of simple education. Although uneducated and having menial tasks of kitchen duties or gardening at the convent, Jesus entrusted her with messages and revelations that he specifically instructed her to write down.

The Image: The image Jesus instructed St. Faustina to have created was one which detailed how he appeared to her. She documents this in her diary, along with its explanations as to what each part means: In the evening, when I was in my cell, I saw the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing; the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, "Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world" (Diary, 47).

The image represents a variety of things; including the risen Christ with whose hands and feet have the scars of the crucifixion. The image has a red and blue ray coming from the heart of Jesus, representing his pierced heart on the cross. According to St. Faustina, "The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. ... These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross" (Diary, 299). Simply put, they signify the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist.

The Promises of Divine Mercy: Jesus promised graces to the souls of those who venerate the image. He promised those who venerate the image would not perish and would have victory over enemies on earth. He also promised victory at the hour of death against the soul’s enemies.

Feast Day: Jesus asked that the image be venerated as much as a person can do so, but specifically the feast day should be held the First Sunday after Easter, which the Church now refers to as Divine Mercy Sunday, according to the Lord’s instructions.

The Hour: The Lord also requested that the Divine Mercy chaplet be prayed at the three o’clock hour, which is the hour recognized as the time of Jesus’ death on the cross.

“At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” (Diary, 1320)

How to Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy:

1)    Make the Sign of the Cross

2)    Opening Prayer: You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

3)    Repeat Three Times: O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You.

4)    Pray the Our Father

5)    Pray a Hail Mary

6)    Recite the Apostles’ Creed

7)    On the decade beads at the beginning of each decade pray: Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

8)    On each small bead of the decades pray: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

9)    Repeat for each decade by saying Eternal Father and For the sake of His sorrowful Passion.

10)  After all 5 decades are prayed: Repeat three times the following “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

11)  Closing Prayer (optional): Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of com passion-inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

FREE BOOK: Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska recorded her instructions and experiences with the appearances of Christ to her in multiple notebooks, which have all been compiled into one book. You can download her book for free by clicking here.